Level maintainer for shackle rod lines



A. BOYNTON LEVEL MAINTAINER FOR SHACKLE non LINES Filed April 9, 1924. 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR filexanderflgynfon, 0 BY $4 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Jan. 27. 1925. 1,524,383

A. BOYNTON LEVEL MAINTA'INER FOR SHACKLE ROD LINES Filed April 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES IN VENTOR r Alexa derB ynZm,

A TTORNE YS ALEXANDER novnron,

ATENT OFFICE.

CF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

LEVEL MAINTAINER FOB $HACKLE ROCD LINES.

Application filed April 9,

Z 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. riLuXANnnn BOYN- TON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Level Maintainers for Shackle Rod Lines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a devicej for maintaining shackle rod lines at the p'froper level while leaving them free to partake of their necessary and proper operative movements.

This device is used in connection with shackle lines transmitting power from] central power plants to the pump jack of oil wells. Very often power houses are located on uneven ground, and it becomes necessary to hold the shackle lines up on one side of the power house or to holdthem down on the other side of the power house. Surrounding power houses and about ten feet away from the building, there is gen erally constructed what is commonly known as a bullpen. All shackle lines pass out from the eccentric of the power and over the bullpen, the shackle lines resting upon top of the bullpen. It is necessary that the rods continue on the level with the eccentric and with the level of the bullpen, otherwise the. bullpen would be destroyed by the heavy downward pressure upon it by lines pulling too low, or the building would be wrecked by lines pulling too high. There is a uniform slot around power houses. through which slot the shackle lines pass. It can easily be seen how the building would be destroyed if the shackle lines pulled too high or how the bullpen would be destroyed it the shackle lines pulled too low.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which maintains the shackle rods at the proper level so that they will not exert destructive or injurious forces on the building or bullpen.

A further object is to provide a device having these capacities and advantages and which is of simple and durable construction, reliable and effective in operation and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is also adapted to successfully control the shackle rod lines irrespective of whether the lines require to be held up or down.

()ther objects and advantages of the inlBZl. Serial N0. 705,295.

vention reside in certain novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings torming part of this specification and in which:

Figure .1 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevatiom showing one ap plication of the invention;

Fi ure 2 is a view in end elevation looking to the right of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view in plan of the bearing member;

Figure 4t is a detail perspective view of the shackle rod line clamp;

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation, showing another application of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 5, the supporting frame being broken away and shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention contemplates a bearing member 10 of cylindrical form and having around its lower portion an annular flange 11 provided with bolt holes 12 whereby the bearing member may be bolted to a suitable base or foundation. In its upper end the bearin member is formed with a recess or hearing cavity 13 of in ve-rted conoidal form, the recess or bearing cavity 13 having a rounded bottom-and tiarin walls and being machined and other wise smooth and adapted to serve the purposes to be hereinafter described.

A standard designated generally at 14 is provided and may comprise a length of pipe of suitable dimensions and having a bearing member 17 at its lower end. the member 17 being cooperable with the hearing member 10 and comprising a rounded knob 18 having a shank 19 pressed or otherwise secured in the lower end of the pipe constituting the standard 14. The rounded knob 18 of the bearing member 17 directly contacts with the surface of the bearing cavity 13 and since the rounded formation of the knob 18 corresponds and conforms to the rounded bottom of the recess or bearing cavity 13 the standard 14 is rockable on the bearing member 10 in any direction. The flaring side walls of the recess 13 afford the requisite clearance for such-movements of the standard 14 and at thesame time provide convenient receptacle for lubrication.

At the upper end of the standard 1 1, a bracket 19 is provided and is fixedly and securely clamped to the standard, as indicated at 20. The bracket 19 includes a pair of spaced and vertically disposed bracket plates 21 having alined pivot openings adjacent their upper ends. A pivot bolt V is extended through the pivot opening of the plates 21 and through a pivot opening provided inthe body portion 23 of a shackle line rod clamp 2 L A nut holds the bolt 22 in position. In this manner the shackle line rod clamp 24 is pivotally connected to the standard 14. The body portion 23 of the shackle line rod clamp 24 is of elongated formand in its top there is provided a U- shaped groove designed to receive the shackle rod line 26. ilt the ends of the body portion 23 aipertured lugs 27 are integrally formed and the lug at one end is on the opposite side of the body portion from the lug at the other end. In the apertures of the lugs 27 the shanks 28 of inverted T-bolts 29 are inserted. The curved or hooked portions 30 of the bolts 29 are engaged with the shackle line rod 26.

'The lower ends of the shanks 28 of the bolts 29 project below the lugs 27 and are threaded for coaction with nuts 31.

.The device just described and shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, isdesigned especially for holding up a shackle line rod so as to prevent them from being pulled too 7 low and destroying the bullpen or otherwise injuring adjacent structures. To this .end the standard 14 provides a positive, unyielding support and exerts its supporting action, through. the shackle line rod clamp 24 which pr ovides an elongated bearing for the shackle line rod. This n1aintains the shackle line rod at the proper level but does not interfere with the operative movements,.thereof since the standard is rockable freely onthebearing member 10. As the shackle line rod clamp 24: is pivotally connected to the standard the shackle line rod is always positively supported over a relatively large area and will not be distorted.

The arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 is designed for use in holding down shackle rod lines and preventing the same I from pulling too high. It is substantially the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 and hereinabove described, inverted, and suspended below a suitable frame. As shown, it comprises a frame 35 constructed of channel ironand having legs 36 connected at their upper ends by a body portion 37.

The legs diverge from each other and their lower ends are embedded in a concrete foundation 38 and connected by transverse rods 39.

gis in the other embodiment of the inventi n, a bearing member 10, standard 14.-

itnvill not be disengaged from the bearing-'- member 10 but will coaot with this bearng member to hold the shackle line rod down at its proper level. An oil duct 41 may be provided through the body portion 37 of the frame 35 and through the bearing member 10 to provide for lubrication between the bearing member 17 and the bearing member 10.

I claim:

A device for use in maintaining shankle line rods at their )roper level com rising a bearingmember having a conoida bearing cavity, a standard and a second bearing member fixed to one end of the standard and having a rounded knob engaged with the wall of the bearing cavity, the other end of said standard being pivotally and positively connected to the shackle line rod.

ALEXANDER BO YNTON. 

